title: MP2C, a plant protein phosphatase 2C, functions as a negative regulator of mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways in yeast and plants.
abstract: By interference of the yeast pheromone mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway with an alfalfa cDNA expression library, we have isolated the MP2C gene encoding a functional protein phosphatase type 2C. Epistasis analysis in yeast indicated that the molecular target of the MP2C phosphatase is Ste11, a MAPK kinase kinase that is a central regulator of the pheromone and osmosensing pathways. In plants, MP2C functions as a negative regulator of the stress-activated MAPK (SAMK) pathway that is activated by cold, drought, touch, and wounding. Although activation of the SAMK pathway occurs by a posttranslational mechanism, de novo transcription and translation of protein factor(s) are necessary for its inactivation. MP2C is likely to be this or one of these factors, because wound-induced activation of SAMK is followed by MP2C gene expression and recombinant glutathione S-transferase-MP2C is able to inactivate extracts containing wound-induced SAMK. Wound-induced MP2C expression is a transient event and correlates with the refractory period, i.e., the time when restimulation of the SAMK pathway is not possible by a second stimulation. These data suggest that MP2C is part of a negative feedback mechanism that is responsible for resetting the SAMK cascade in plants.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology and Genetics, Vienna Biocenter, Dr. Bohrgasse 9, A-1030 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Meskiene
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bögre
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Glaser
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Balog
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brandstötter
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zwerger
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ammerer
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirt
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017360:Arabidopsis; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D054648:Protein Phosphatase 2; D000071636:Protein Phosphatase 2C; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D029702:Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C071596:ste11 protein, S pombe; D017871:Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases; D020930:MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases; C067018:Ste11 protein, S cerevisiae; C000607456:PPM1A protein, human; C000607457:PPM1B protein, human; C000607460:PPM1G protein, human; C087358:PTC1 protein, S cerevisiae; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases; D054648:Protein Phosphatase 2; D000071636:Protein Phosphatase 2C